


Happiness Bubbling Over

by Are_Words_Enough



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Human Liam Dunbar, M/M, Werewolf Theo Raeken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 07:08:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28541562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Are_Words_Enough/pseuds/Are_Words_Enough
Summary: Liam goes for a run to work off some steam and runs into a wolf in the woods. A small act of kindness later and eventually the wolf finds it's way to his door. A debt is owed and the wolf intends to repay it.This story (and it's title) was inspired by the Japanese folktale Bunbuku Chagama.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 21
Kudos: 88





	1. Chapter 1

Liam had been having another rough night. College life was supposed to be a chance to start all over again, but instead his old issues had reared their head. He’d been doing fine until his coach had pulled him aside and warned him that the administration was filing the paperwork for his academic probation. 

He knew he wasn’t doing great in his classes, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. He’d only let himself go to a couple parties and even then he’d left early not really finding much in common with the crowd. He had hoped that one of his friends would have ended up at his school, but they’d all gone off to better schools. There was only one other person he knew at BHCC, Malia, and she wasn’t really someone he could go to for the kind of help he’d needed.

He’d even tried joining a study group, but it was clear they felt like he was holding them back, so he stopped going. He couldn’t really afford a tutor either. So, he just hoped that if he spent more time studying it would help, but no matter how hard he tried he just couldn’t get the information to stick in his brain.

His only real relief was lacrosse. It was something he didn’t have to think about, he was just good at it. His skill on the field hadn’t gotten him any scholarships or anything, but playing was the only time he actually felt good about himself. Now that was being taken away from him.

He knew he probably shouldn’t have, but he tried to talk to one of his professors. College algebra was his worst subject so he thought maybe if he could find a way to pick that up, it would turn things around. Except his professor didn’t really care, just offering him the same options he’d already tried.

That’s when the old anger came back. He hadn’t realized what he’d done until the aftermath was laid out in front of him. His professor was backed into a corner, terror in her eyes. The shattered glass from the frame on the wall and bits of ceramic from what used to be a coffee mug were sprinkled across the desk and floor. It was one motion, one slip, but the rage had won and made things even worse.

Now it wasn’t just academic probation on the line, but they were currently considering dismissing him over the incident. ‘Student misconduct’ they called it. He had an interview with administration in a couple days that would be a big part of determining what would happen next. Which he didn’t have much hope for being anything but him getting kicked out of the only college that had accepted him.

It had been a few days since the incident and he still hadn’t told anyone. He didn’t want to disrupt Mason’s life in UCLA as his best friend was prone to coming back to Beacon Hills whenever Liam mentioned he was having problems. Causing issues for Mason would just make him feel worse. And he still hadn’t told his parents. He was too worried about disappointing them after they’d done so much for him to be able to go to college on his own.

He’d been having flare ups ever since the incident. Mostly when he thought about it too much. He could feel another brewing now as he stewed alone in his studio apartment. The barren walls and bare bones furniture were doing nothing to help him calm down.

His clock said it was already past midnight and he’d given up any hope of sleep happening on its own so he decided he’d go for a run. Hopefully, it would work off the burning anger that was bubbling up inside him and maybe when he got back he would actually be tired. He threw on some shorts and pulled the laces on his sneakers tight before tying them.

When he stepped outside, the cooler air felt nice on his skin. He took a moment to stretch, preparing himself for what he figured would be a longer run. Then he headed the nearby trail in the woods behind the apartment complex.

* * *

He’d been running for a while, just letting the effort of it work off the steam that had been rising inside of him. Something ahead of him caused him to stop in his tracks. Yellow eyes stared at him, glowing in the moonlight.

Liam hadn’t encountered any animals on this trail before, even during a middle of the night run. He craned his neck, the rest of his body unwilling to move. The eyes stayed locked on him. A strange sound filtered through the night air, something high pitched. When Liam’s pulse calmed a bit more the sound became clearer, a soft whine coming from the same direction as the eyes.

He wasn’t sure why, but his body moved then, taking him towards the sound. As he approached the eyes didn’t move, but the whining quieted and now he could see the reason the eyes couldn’t move.

As his own eyes adjusted to the darker part of the woods he’d wandered into, the first thing he could make out was the moonlight glinting off the metal of the trap. A little more adjusting and he could make out the shape attached to the eyes, a dark furred wolf. The creature was both powerful and pathetic, it’s strong form interrupted by the paw clenched in the trap.

Another soft whine broke him out of his trance and he drew closer. He made sure each step was both slow and deliberate, his hands held up defensively. The wolf’s eyes never left him.

“I’m going to help you, but I need you to promise not to attack me.” Liam whispered.

He was talking more for his benefit than anything else. He knew the wolf couldn’t understand him, but words helped him feel like he was doing the right thing. He couldn’t just leave the poor creature trapped like that.

Liam knelt in front of the wolf. It continued its stare as he started to reach down towards the trap, towards its leg. He startled when it moved. It hadn’t even moved quickly, just turning to sniff at the approaching hands.

“Don’t worry, Liam, he... she... they promised not to attack you.” Liam’s words were again for his own benefit.

The wolf watched his hands and he reached down towards the springs on either side of the trap. He’d had to get a pet out of a trap like this before and still had a vague memory of what to do. He firmly applied pressure to the springs at the same time and the jaw of the trap opened. The wolf yanked its paw from the trap, startling him and he fell back.

He braced for it to attack him, but it just continued to stare with those bright yellow eyes. He still wasn’t sure the glow was just from the moonlight, but he didn’t know what else it could be. He slowly got to his feet, making sure not to make any quick movements and the wolf just watched.

When he stood at his full height, the wolf took a step backwards. Liam froze again, unsure what to do now. The wolf’s eyes stayed on him until it turned and dashed away further into the woods.

“Well, they kept their promise.” he muttered.

He looked down at the trap, it had shut again when he fell away from it. He figured it wouldn’t hurt any other animals if it was already triggered, so he felt ok leaving it behind him as he headed back to the trail. Once he was back on the path he started running again, unsure if any of what he’d experienced had actually happened.

* * *

Liam could feel the ache of the run through his whole body. He’d pushed himself to the point of forcing his legs to take him back home. He unlocked the door and almost fell into his apartment. Somehow, he managed to untie his sneakers and pry them off before his wobbly legs barely carried him to his bed where he finally collapsed. 

Sleep was on him fast. There was no time to think about his shitty situation at Beacon Hills Community College. No time to think about the anger that swirled inside him, threatening to return. And no time to think about the strange encounter he wasn’t convinced had even happened during his run. There was just blackness as the world fell away.

* * *

Liam awoke to what sounded like light scratching. The noise was coming from his front door, gentle, but insistent. He started to get up and the burning in his legs reminded him of what he’d been doing before he fell asleep. He took it slower, he could stand, but it didn’t feel great.

He made his way to the door, the sound of the scratching had stopped, but he still needed to check it. Looking through the peephole, he didn’t see anyone or anything outside. Another set of scratches sounded and he realized they were coming from lower to the ground.

His curiosity got the better of him and he opened the door. A dark shape that came as high as his knees pushed through and darted past him. He spun, leaning into the door as it slammed shut. The dark shape now sat on the edge of his bed, staring at him with those same luminous yellow eyes from earlier that night.

He was paralyzed again, and with the burning in his legs it was if their positions from before were reversed. Liam was the one in the trap now. Would the wolf make an effort to set him free?

He gasped as the wolf shifted and changed. It was no longer dark fur and yellow eyes. It had taken the shape of a young man about his age. His hair was still dark, but instead of an unnatural yellow, the eyes were green. And he was gorgeous. And naked.

Liam looked down at the beige carpet, wondering how any of this was actually happening. It couldn’t be, could it? He let his eyes flick up for a moment. There was still an absolutely beautiful young man sitting on his bed. Naked. When his eyes flicked back down he could feel the burn on his cheeks.

“Uh... hi?” Liam’s words were shaky and unsure.

“You saved me.” The voice was smooth, confident.

“I... uh... yeah... I guess I did.”

“I have to repay you.”

“Oh, no, it’s ok, you don’t have to do that.” Liam was still wondering what the hell was happening.

“I do. I owe you a life debt now.” The voice was getting closer.

“A life debt?”

“Yes. A hunter would have surely killed me. You saved my life, now I have to repay that debt.” The voice was even closer now.

“How do you do that?”

Liam assumed he must be dreaming at this point. Wolves didn’t turn into attractive young men. They definitely didn’t offer to repay debts, especially because wolves didn’t talk. He let his eyes lift again and this time the young man that used to be a wolf was only a foot away. He didn’t seem to mind Liam looking at him.

“Tell me what you want most and I’ll do what I can to give it to you.”

If this was a dream, which it definitely was, then why not just lean into it. He could ask for a million dollars or maybe to find his soul-mate. Those weren’t what he really wanted though. The words spilled out of his mouth as he thought them.

“I don’t want to get angry anymore. I mean, I don’t want to have IED.”

The young man looked him over, but soon those eyes weren’t looking over the surface, it felt like he was looking inside him, seeing something beyond his clothes, beyond his skin. He squinted as he continued his examination, slowly bringing the dark green eyes back to Liam’s. The squint softened.

“That’s not exactly a simple request.”

Liam sagged, “So, should I pick something else then?”

“No, I said I’ll do what I can.”

Liam sighed and shook his head. Even in his dreams he couldn’t be free of his problems. Or his pain. His legs were screaming for more rest, pleading for him to do anything but stand there, but the young man was between him and his bed.

“Ok.” Liam winced.

The young man furrowed his brow, “Are you in pain? Did the trap hurt you somehow?”

Suddenly, Liam’s hands were being lifted and examined. The hands on his felt soft and more gentle than he expected. They weren’t exactly holding hands, but it was close, a lot closer than anyone had been with him in a while.

Liam stammered, “Uh, no, It’s my legs, um, I ran too much.”

And then Liam was off his feet, the young man had lifted him in one smooth motion, one arm under Liam’s knees and the other behind his upper back. The green eyes were searching for something, eventually settling on the only real piece of furniture in the whole apartment, Liam’s bed. The ease with which he was carried over to and carefully set down on it was surprising. His muscles still burned, but nothing like they had when they were struggling to hold him up. At least he got to be swept off his feet in his dream.

“Better?” The young man stood over him.

Liam tried his best to keep his gaze locked on his face, “Yeah. Thanks.”

The young man sat on the bed next to him, “I’m going to need to stay here.”

“Um, ok?”

“If I’m going to work on giving you what you want.” The green eyes were looking for understanding in Liam’s face.

“Oh, uh, sure.” shrugged.

Liam’s eyelids were getting heavy. He wasn’t sure how being tired in a dream made much sense, but it was happening regardless of whether he wanted it to or not. The last thing he saw was the pair of green eyes looking down at him and the slight grin below them.

* * *

Liam woke with a start, legs jerking. A subtle burn reminding him of last night's run. His mind trailed back to the weird dream. If only cute guys actually did show up at your apartment offering to give you what you wanted most. He wondered if he’d ever seen the guy before, if he was based on someone at school.

Wolves turning into guys. He laughed at himself and shook the thought away. He really needed to lay off the mythology. To be fair, history and mythology were the only two classes he actually liked. Somehow, the stories seemed to stick in his mind. Normally, he would have gone today, but with everything going on with his potential dismissal, he wasn’t allowed.

His heart sunk, he was going to have to deal with that interview tomorrow and until then he was advised to stay off campus. Without school, he didn’t really know what to do with himself. All of his free time had been spent trying to study lately and now that might just be a waste. Well, more a waste than it already had been.

He decided he should try to eat some breakfast. He did have some frozen waffles left, no syrup, but something was better than nothing. He wondered if he still had any jelly or even some peanut butter. That could work.

He lifted himself up off the bed, turning to sit on the edge. Except instead of hitting the cheap beige carpet his feet found something fluffy and soft. He looked down to find the mottled dark fur of the wolf from the night before laying beside his bed.

He screamed.

He screamed loud.

The wolf must have been spooked by it because it whined and huddled into a corner, glowing yellow eyes wide. Liam caught himself, silence heavy in the room afterwards. At least until those eyes changed from yellow to green and he screamed again.

This couldn’t be real, could it? Was he dreaming again? He had to be dreaming again. It didn’t feel like a dream. The cautious eyes attached to the naked guy in the corner of his room didn’t look like a dream. Well, they did, but not that kind of dream. Maybe this was really happening. At some point, during the continuous train of thoughts bouncing through his head he’d shut up.

“You didn’t say they hurt that badly.” The guy got to his feet.

Liam looked away again, “I, what? Oh, my legs. No, I just-- I didn’t think-- How are you real?”

“How am I... real?” The question was repeated with curiosity.

“You were a wolf and now you’re a guy and I’m just- How?”

“I’ve always been like this. How are you real?”

“Me? I’m just a guy. I’m not anything special.”

“Yes you are. You saved me. That’s not something most people would do.”

Liam had his doubts, “Maybe.”

He got up from his bed and went to his closet. He tried to keep his eyes off of the bare skin, tried to be respectful, but he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a couple glances this time. He hid his blushing as he pulled out a tank top and some shorts.

“What are you doing?” The voice was right beside him.

Liam jumped, he hadn’t seen the guy move, “I, uh, here.”

Liam held out the clothing and kept his eyes facing forward. He felt the shirt and shorts lift out of his hand. He could feel them being held up and examined.

“You want me to put these on?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Ok.” He could hear the shrug in the voice

Liam could feel the movement beside him. He could hear the sound of the fabric sliding over skin. When he felt like it had been enough time, he turned, finally letting himself look at the guy who used to be a wolf.

“So, you are able to look at me.” a smirk settled in under the green eyes.

“Sorry, it’s just-- you were--” Liam couldn’t find the right words.

The green eyes glinted like they’d learned something, “I was only kidding. So, what can I call you?”

“Liam.” He realized he sounded nervous. “And, uh, what do I call you?”

“I don’t really have a name. Not like yours anyway.”

“I need to call you something.”

“Hrmm...” The green eyes looked past him, scanning a stack of books before pausing on one, “Theodore. Does that work?”

“It’s kind of old. And kind of long. Can I just call you Theo?”

“Sure. Does that mean I can call you Li?”

Liam wasn’t sure why that made him blush again, “Yeah, that’s fine.”

Theo had moved close enough that Liam could feel the warmth radiating off of him. His eyes traced the curves of his muscles, the line of his jaw, the shape of his lips, the eyes that were watching him take it all in. Shit. Liam looked away again. He tried to think of something to say, anything to explain himself.

Instead, his stomach came to his rescue, letting out a soft gurgling sound of hunger. A perfect excuse to get out of that moment. One he happily took.

“I, uh, better make some breakfast.” Liam ducked towards the meager kitchen. “Are you hungry?”

“I could eat.”

“I hope you like waffles.”

Theo followed him the handful of steps to the kitchen, leaning against the wall just outside of it. Liam pulled the waffle box out of the freezer. Four left. He took out two of them and popped them into the toaster his mom had given him. He could feel the eyes on him the whole time he hunted through the fridge and cabinet for something to put on them. And there was nothing. At least he had two clean plates. Liam leaned against the counter nervously waiting for the plain waffles to pop.

“Smells good.” Theo said.

“It’s just waffles.” Liam shrugged.

“I’ve never had waffles before.”

“Well, normally there’s butter and syrup, but I don’t have any.” Liam scratched at the back of his neck.

“I’m sure they’ll be fine without.”

Liam whispered under his breath, “I hope so.”

The first set of waffles popped and Liam used a fork to get them onto a plate. He popped in the second set and pushed down the lever. He was still fidgeting impatiently.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Theo gestured to the plated waffles.

“Oh, no. Uh, those are yours, just waiting on them to cool.”

“I see.”

Theo moved from his spot against the wall, stepping just inside the kitchen, about a foot away from Liam. He carefully touched the waffles, testing their temperature. It must have already been cool enough, because he picked it up and took a bite. Liam watched his jaw as he chewed.

Theo swallowed, “Kind of sweet.”

“Yeah, a little.” Liam jumped again when the second set of waffles popped.

“You don’t seem very angry to me.” Theo said before taking another bite.

Angry? Then he remembered what he’d thought was a dream. Theo’s offer to repay a debt. How Liam had just blurted out his biggest wish. It was all real.

Liam tried to explain, “It’s not all the time.”

“Clearly.” Theo grinned.

Liam furrowed his brow, not happy at being interrupted when this was already difficult to talk about, “I can’t control it. I just get angry. And I break things.”

“Is that what happened here?” Theo looked around at the sparse apartment.

He actually hadn’t broken anything in the apartment, except for one of his plates, but that had been an accident. Though his anger issues were the reason behind his choice not to decorate or get more than he needed. He hoped that without any real options he wouldn’t break anything. So far he hadn’t, so maybe it worked.

“Not exactly.”

“Ok, when’s the last time you broke something?” Theo stepped closer.

“A few days ago, at school.”

Liam pulled out one of the waffles and bit into it. More as an excuse to not be able to talk than to quell his still rumbling tummy. He really wished he had some jelly or something though.

“Is that the last time you felt angry?”

“No, last night.” Another bite.

“You didn’t seem angry with me.” Theo stepped close enough that Liam could feel that warmth again.

Liam gulped down a not quite chewed enough bite, “No, it was before I... met you.”

“You don’t seem like you want to talk about it.”

“Not really. Just thinking about it makes me mad.” Liam could already feel a small swell of rage.

“I need to know about it if I’m going to help.”

“Fine.” Liam took a breath, “I was benched on the lacrosse team because I’m going to fail out of college and nothing I do is changing that. No one can help me and no one wants to help me.”

In the span of a moment, the rage had stoked to fury and he grabbed the plate and swung. There was no sound of shattering and warmth wrapped around his hand. Theo had stopped him. He expected to see fear or horror on his face, but instead there was curiosity.

“So, that’s what happens. Are you still angry?”

He was. He tried to jerk his hand out of Theo’s grip. The frenzy building inside him would only be satisfied by the sound of destruction. His other hand went for the toaster. Something needed to break. Theo caught him again. Why couldn’t he just let him--

His heart stopped. The rage shrunk away and all he could feel was Theo pressed against him. Theo’s lips pressed against his. The heat of anger was replaced with a different heat. He whimpered when the kiss ended.

“I thought that might work.” Theo smirked.

Liam frowned. He hadn’t been kissed in over a year, so it sucked to learn that this one was just out of pity. He slowly set the plate down, but Theo still hadn’t let go of his wrist.

“Was that not ok?” The green eyes actually seemed concerned.

“I don’t know.” Liam fumbled the other waffle out of the toaster.

“I was trying to help.”

“I know, just...”

“Just what, Li?”

Why did something as little as shortening his name make him blush? He couldn’t hide his face this time. He could turn away at least a little, but that only lasted for a moment. Theo’s hand left his wrist before gently nudging his chin back up.

“I can only help you if you talk to me.”

“I haven’t done that in a long time.”

“So, it wasn’t ok?”

Was it really pity? Maybe Theo actually liked him. At least he was trying to help him.

“I mean-- It was... but, was that just a way to stop me?”

Theo smirked again, “Are you asking if I liked it?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“I liked it.”

Liam felt the redness rising to his cheeks again. Theo’s hand on his chin prevented him from turning away. He felt more vulnerable than he had in a long time.

“So, I can do it again?”

“If you want to.” Liam’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Good.”

Theo grabbed the last waffle off of the plate and lifted it, nodding to Liam before taking a bite. Liam did the same with the waffle he was holding. The two of them finished their bare bones breakfast standing side by side in the tiny kitchen.

Theo broke the silence once the waffles were gone, “For the record, I want to help you.”

“I-- uh, thank you.”

“Can you tell me what exactly is going on with your college?”

“Sure.”

Liam explained the struggle he’d been having with his classes. How that had led to the academic probation which kept him from playing lacrosse. How he’d tried to talk to his professor to find out some way to fix it, but was only offered solutions he’d already tried. How he’d thrown their coffee mug at their diploma and was now facing an interview regarding whether he should be dismissed tomorrow. It actually felt good to get it all off his chest.

“Sounds simple enough.” Theo shrugged.

“I’m sorry. What?”

“This boils down to two things. First, you get through your interview tomorrow and convince them that you should stay. Second, I’ll be your tutor.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Isn’t it?” Theo raised an eyebrow at him.

Liam tried to protest, but he couldn’t come up with anything that wasn’t covered by Theo’s short list. He’d been agonizing over this for a week and now it just seemed so... small. Liam felt himself grin. Maybe he’d actually be ok.

* * *

The rest of the day was spent with Theo asking questions about Liam’s life. Liam answered everything. He told Theo about his friends, how most of them were scattered around at different colleges, except Malia, but they were more acquaintances than friends. How his parents had made sure he’d get to go to college on his own terms by renting him the apartment. What classes he was taking and of those, which ones he was bombing the hardest.

At some point during everything, Liam had made them both some ramen for lunch. When he was in the kitchen making it, he’d eyed the deluxe mac’n’cheese box he’d been saving as a treat. He decided it would be their dinner later. Having Theo there felt special.

Liam couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss. More specifically how Theo had asked if he could kiss him again, but hadn’t made any move since to actually do so. While Liam wasn’t ready to inquire about that, he did have a different question.

“The kiss, why did you think that would work?”

“People only feel one emotion at a time, Li.”

Theo had been calling him that all day and yet, it still felt nice to hear. Even so, Liam frowned a little. The explanation didn’t really make sense to him.

Theo caught his gaze, “You can’t stay angry if you’re feeling something else.”

“How did you know I’d feel something else?”

“I saw the way you looked at me. And the way you tried not to look.” Theo chuckled.

Liam playfully shoved him, “Come on, I wasn’t that obvious.”

“Li...” Theo shrugged.

Honestly, when Liam looked back on it, he understood. He wasn’t ever really that great at hiding his feelings. Good or bad.

Liam got up and stretched, he was starting to feel tired. Which was a good thing because his interview tomorrow would be pretty early, so he needed all the rest he could get. Theo just watched him from his spot on the floor where he was leaning against the side of the bed.

“I should probably get some sleep.”

“You’re probably right.” Theo pushed aside some of the books Liam had been showing him and laid down beside the bed.

Liam bit his lip, “You don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Sleep on the floor.”

“It’s ok, I don’t mind.”

“I do.”

Liam stared down at him, trying his best to look grumpy. Theo seemed unaffected, which made him actually grumpy. He leaned down and dragged Theo up by the arm, dropping him into a seat at the edge of the bed.

“Fine.” Theo smirked.

“Don’t act like you don’t want to.” Liam’s tiredness was making him bolder than normal.

“It does seem more comfortable than the floor, though it’s a little small.” Theo’s eyes scanned the double bed.

Liam rolled his eyes before crawling into the bed. He scooted as far as he could to one side trying to leave space for Theo. It just barely worked.

“I could always just sleep as a wolf, there’d be plenty of space then.”

“N-- No.” Liam said quickly.

“Ok, ok.”

Liam had to force himself to close his eyes and stop looking at Theo. Just the sight of him probably could have kept him up all night. Even with his eyes closed, Theo was close enough that he could feel he was there, even if they weren’t touching. He was smiling when he eventually drifted off.

* * *

Liam woke up feeling warmer than usual. Not hot, just warm. The feeling spread from the side of his face down the front of his body. When his head was gently lifted, he understood why. At some point he had snuggled up to Theo. The gentle lift and lowering of his head was from Theo’s breathing. He fell back to sleep smiling again.

* * *

When Liam woke up, all he could feel this time was the coolness of his sheets. He felt around to see if Theo was somehow just out of reach, but when his fingertips hit the edge of the bed he frowned. He sat up and looked around the small space hoping he wasn’t alone.

When he noticed Theo in the kitchen, he smiled again. Then the smells started to hit him and he really woke up. Theo turned around and came over to the bed with a plate for each of them.

It looked like there were eggs, meat, and vegetables here. It had been a couple days since he’d had any one of them, let alone all three. He didn’t really know where Theo had gotten them from and he didn’t care. It was delicious.

“Slow down, you don’t want to get sick before your interview.” Theo grinned.

“But... it’s good.”

“Then savor it, Li.”

Liam returned a sheepish grin, “Ok.”

He took his time with the last third of the plate. Everything tasted... different. He thought maybe the meat was chicken, but he wasn’t sure what the veggies were or why the eggs tasted so rich. Either way, he finished it.

“How long do you need to get to your meeting?”

“Twenty minutes”

“Well,” Theo looked at the clock, “You have about forty-five. And you need to take a shower.”

Liam looked down at himself, still in the same shorts from the day before yesterday. Theo was right. He rushed to the closet, picking out some of his nicest clothes and creating a stack. He brought them to the bathroom door and turned to apologize to Theo, but didn’t get the chance.

“Hurry up.” Theo waved his fork at him.

Liam took a quick, hot shower. Afterwards, he made sure to use a little extra deodorant, worried he might stress sweat on his way to the interview. Once he was dressed, he stepped out of the bathroom and Theo gestured him over to the bed.

“There.” Theo had straightened his collar.

“Thanks.” Liam blushed.

He was heading towards leaving, he had an extra five minutes still and it would be better to be safe than sorry. Theo’s hand on his wrist stopped him. Theo’s green eyes were staring at him, pulling him in. No, Theo was coming closer. Theo’s lips were on his again, a soft slow lingering kiss this time. When Theo pulled away, Liam’s blushing had only gotten redder.

“What was that for?” Liam asked.

“If you get angry today, I want you to think of that kiss.” Theo smirked.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.”

Theo raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?”

Liam turned beet red, “Did I just-- I’ve got to go.”

Liam rushed to the door and opened it. Before stepping outside he looked back into the apartment. Theo was headed to the kitchen with their dishes. He still didn’t understand how any of this had happened, but he wasn’t about to question it now. For the first time in a long time he actually felt good about heading to college, even if it was for an interview that would determine whether he was allowed to come back again. Moreso, he looked forward to coming back to Theo afterwards.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hadn't actually planned to add more to this, but it happened. :)

Liam’s walk home from the interview had been tense. They hadn’t given him any clue as to what their decision would be, just that they would contact him soon once it was all resolved. He thought it went well though. Probably. Maybe.

He had gotten upset. He had definitely gotten angry. He didn’t, however, do anything stupid and he only had Theo to thank for that. The boy that felt like a dream. That he still wasn’t entirely convinced wasn’t some sort of messed up hallucination. The kisses had felt so real though and he’d focused on the feeling of those lips on his to help calm him down today.

He was almost back to his apartment when his ringtone started going off. His heart stopped as he tried to pull his phone out of his pocket, wondering if they’d already made a decision. When he saw it was his mom, Jenna, he didn’t feel any better. He still hadn’t told his parents what was going on. His plan, his terrible  _ terrible  _ plan, was to wait until he had an answer and tell them then.

“Hey, mom.” Liam was a little out of breath from his walk.

“Hey, sweetheart. How’s school?”

His mom had that tone in her voice that meant she knew something was wrong and was giving Liam a chance to tell her what it was. He had ignored it once before. It didn’t go very well then, so he decided against ignoring it today.

“Um, not good.”

“Yeah, I thought that might be the case. Your father and I got a letter from your school preparing us for the possibility they might suspend your financial aid?”

“Ok, it’s pretty bad.”

“Sweetheart, you know you can talk to us, right?” Jenna’s tone was almost pleading.

“I know.”

“Well, I’m pretty close by. I’ll grab us some dinner and we can talk about what’s going on.” She wasn’t asking.

“Ok, see you soon Mom.”

“See you soon, sweetheart.”

Liam picked up the pace to try and get back to his apartment quick enough for a shower. Of course, the universe was conspiring against him today and made sure that he had to wait at  _ every  _ crosswalk. He definitely wasn’t making good time.

The whole way back he tried to figure out what he was going to do. He still hadn’t really cleaned his place, so he forced himself to be ok with the fact that he definitely didn’t have time to deal with that. Of course he’d also have to explain that he’d had an IED flare up, something he really thought he’d moved past. Jenna was so proud when he’d finished out his senior year without even one incident. He wasn’t looking forward to how disappointed she was going to be.

There was also the incredibly hot guy who used to be a wolf or maybe still kind of was a wolf waiting back at his apartment. The one who had let him sleep on his chest. Who made him breakfast in bed. And who kissed him. Liam blushed just thinking about the kiss again.

How was he going to explain Theo to his mom? The apartment was a studio, so roommate would definitely be a hard sell. Boyfriend? That seemed like too much considering they’d just met and he didn’t know if Theo would want to play along with that idea.

* * *

He still hadn’t figured it out by the time he’d gotten back. He unlocked the door, walked in and stopped. He looked around and thought for a moment he was somehow in the wrong apartment. His place was  _ actually _ tidy.

Theo was lounging on his bed reading the book Liam had used to select his name. Liam rushed to his closet to pick out a change of clothes. He’d been right, the stress and all the walking had caused him to sweat a lot.

“You cleaned?” Liam grabbed a polo and jeans.

“I got bored.”

“Well, thank you.” He grabbed underwear and socks too.

“You seem like you’re in a rush.”

“Mom’s gonna be here soon.” Liam took his clothes to the bathroom.

“Why does that sound like a problem?”

Liam raised his voice to shout through the door, “Because I haven’t told her about anything that happened in the last couple weeks.”

“So she doesn’t know about the interview?”

“Nope.”

Liam tossed his sweaty clothes into a pile on the bathroom floor. He felt bad, considering Theo had just straightened up and he was already making a mess again, but he barely had time to think. He started the shower and waited for it to warm up.

“Or me?”

“Also, no.”

Liam started getting into the shower when he heard the bathroom door opening. He jumped in and yanked the curtain shut. Sure he’d seen Theo naked, but he wasn’t ready for Theo to see him that way. Besides, it wasn’t like he meant to see Theo, it just kind of happened.

Theo spoke like a person who hadn’t just walked in on someone naked, “So, what do you want to do?”

“Have some privacy while I shower?” Liam’s voice squeaked nervously.

“You’re behind a curtain.”

“And naked!”

“You didn’t seem to mind when I was naked.”

Liam stammered, “I- Uh- That’s not the same!”

“None of this is getting closer to answering my actual question.”

Liam was rinsing the shampoo out of his hair, letting the hot water course over him. Normally, it helped him feel better, but today was too stressful. He could feel his anger rising again and as his fist clenched he remembered the feeling of Theo’s lips on his.

Liam thought about the fact that he was right there on the other side of the curtain. Maybe he’d let him kiss him again. He shook his head. He needed to finish his shower, his mom would be here soon.

“What was it?” Liam remembered before Theo had a chance to respond, “Oh, yeah! Um... what to do... so, I don’t know if she’d believe it even if I told her what happened.”

“Well, it’s not like there’s anywhere to hide in here. I assume your mother uses the bathroom.”

“There’s the closet?”

Theo laughed, “No.”

Liam started soaping himself up. The body wash his mom had bought him smelled like strawberries. He hadn’t liked it at first, using it only because it was free, but it had grown on him over time.

“Well, do you have any ideas?”

“One.”

“And that is...?”

Liam waited patiently for an answer as he rinsed the soap off. None came. At least until he peeked out of the shower. A ball of dark fur looked up at him from the bathroom floor. Theo’s bark spooked him and he shut the curtain again to finish his shower, trying to figure out how this was going to help anything.

When he shut the water off, he hesitantly opened the curtain again to see Theo still sitting and waiting, wagging his tail. He pulled his towel into the shower, drying off inside before wrapping the towel around him and stepping out.

He stared at Theo and, for the first time in his life, saw what it looked like when a wolf rolled their eyes. Theo turned around and lay down, putting his paws over his face. Liam rolled his own eyes and tugged his underwear on under the towel before putting it back on the rack. He put on the rest of his clothes, keeping an eye on Theo the whole time.

He pretended to clear his throat, and Theo lifted his head. Liam moved to the sink and combed his hair back. He probably needed a haircut, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon. Part way through, there was a knock on the door and Theo started barking.

“Really?” Liam looked down at Theo.

Theo nudged at his calf and Liam threw the comb down beside the sink. He opened the bathroom door and used his fingers to try and finish taming his hair, wiping them off on the sides of his pants as he got to the front door. He took a deep breath and pulled it open. His mother stood there holding a plastic bag with a couple containers inside it and a drink carrier.

“Sorry, was finishing my shower when you knocked.”

Jenna smiled, “That’s ok, sweethea-”

Liam saw her gaze drop down beside him. He followed it to Theo sitting next to his feet and happily wagging his tail and panting. Liam slowly looked back up to his mom.

She smiled at him, but he knew it wasn’t exactly a happy one, “Liam, please tell me this isn’t your dog.”

“Oh! Uh, no. I’m, uh...” Think Liam think! Why is there a ‘dog’ in your apartment? What reason could you possibly have for having a dog that you don’t own? Oh! Yes. Perfect. “I’m dog sitting for a friend.”

“Really?” She squinted at him.

“Yeah. Trust me, he’s not mine.” Liam wasn’t sure, but he thought he might have heard a soft whine when he said that.

“Aww, what’s his name?”

Liam chuckled nervously, “It’s Theo.”

Jenna seemed satisfied with that answer, “Ok. So, are you going to let me in?”

“Yeah. Sorry, mom.”

He stepped aside and she walked into the apartment. She looked around the place before heading to the tiny table and chairs set up near the kitchen. Her smile this time was a genuine one.

“Aww, you’ve been keeping the place clean!”

Liam felt Theo rub along his leg as he shut the door, “Sorry, I haven’t done much with it.” Liam leaned down and whispered to Theo, “Seriously. Thank you.”

Theo nuzzled at his hand and he let it gently scratch at the fur around his neck. He still couldn’t believe just how soft it was, especially for how thick it seemed to be. He stood back up and walked over to where his mom was setting their two containers and drinks out on the table. She frowned a bit as there was barely room for all of it.

“Did they give us utensils?” Liam asked.

“Yep.” She paused, “Wait. Liam, you do still have silverware? Right?”

“Yeah, just, didn’t want to dirty any dishes we didn’t have to.” Liam shrugged and chuckled nervously.

His mom gestured to the table, “So, I got your favorite.”

Jenna popped open the styrofoam container on his side of the table and one of Liam’s favorite smells greeted him. There was a little Italian place that he and his mom used to go to all the time that let you make your own pasta. After some experimenting he settled on linguine with vodka sauce and meatballs and had ordered it every time they’d gone for the past couple of years.

“Thanks, mom.”

Jenna knelt down next to the table and had both hands rubbing over Theo’s fur. Liam didn’t really know how to feel about his mom petting him. He  _ was _ pretending to be a dog, but he wasn’t exactly a dog. He really wished his brain hadn’t decided to create the image of his mom petting Theo as a human.

“You are so fluffy! Oh my god, whoever your owner is is very lucky!”

Liam was sure Theo was looking over at him while he preened under his mother’s attention. Yeah, this was definitely weird. Thankfully, it didn’t last long before his mom stopped and took a seat at the table with him.

Liam pulled the container into his lap to give his mom more room on the table. He took one of the packs of utensils and unwrapped it. When he looked back down Theo was beside him sniffing at the side of the container.

“So, let’s get the bad news out of the way.” His mom popped open her own dinner.

“Yeah, ok. First, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I thought I could just take care of it myself.”

“Oh, sweetheart. You know we still want to know what’s going on with your life.”

“I know, I just-” Liam twirled some of the pasta onto his fork, “I want you guys to know I’m doing my best, ok?”

“We know.” She stabbed some penne onto her fork, “Bad news. Go.”

Liam sighed, “I had another episode last week. I threw my professor’s coffee cup.”

“Ok.” She took a bit of food and chewed then swallowed before continuing, “We can set up an appointment with your old therapist if you want.”

“No, I don’t think we need to do that.” Liam ate the forkful of food.

“Are you sure?” Jenna was clearly concerned.

“No, I’m... I’m ok, really.”

Liam reached down with his empty hand and ran his fingers through Theo’s fur again. Theo nuzzled against his thigh and looked up at him with what he thought might be a smile, at least on a wolf. He remembered their kisses again which felt weird when he looked at the wolf by his side.

“Ok. So, what’s going on with school then?”

“I had an interview today. They’re going to decide if they want to dismiss me or not. They were already going to put me on academic probation. That’s why I threw it. Uh, the cup. They weren’t going to let me play lacrosse anymore and my professor wasn’t willing to work with me and it just happened.”

Liam hung his head and Theo rubbed his muzzle on his thigh. Even as a wolf, Theo was trying to keep his head out of those memories and Liam definitely appreciated it. He could see his mom processing what he said and landing on a concerned face.

Liam quickly added, “I didn’t hurt anyone. I promise.”

Jenna offered a relieved sigh, “Good. So when do you find out how it went?”

“They didn’t tell me. They just said ‘soon’.” Liam took another bite of his pasta.

“Well,” Jenna smiled, “I’m sure they’ll let you back in.”

She was always so upbeat. He really should have told at least her if not both her and his step-dad about what was going on, but he just didn’t want them to worry. He promised himself he’d keep them updated from now on.

“I hope so.” Liam shrugged.

His mom didn’t want to dwell on the subject, “So, it’s clear you’ve made some friends,” Jenna gestured to Theo as Liam took another bite, “Any  _ special _ friends?”

Liam choked on his food as he swallowed wrong. A minute of coughing and sputtering later he finally had things under control. Theo was looking up at him and gave out a little worried whine as he recovered.

“I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” Jenna smirked.

Liam swallowed painfully, “Mom...”

“Come on, I just want you to be happy. You can tell me about them.”

Liam blushed, “Mom, really?”

“You know I’m not going to stop until you tell me  _ something _ .” She definitely wouldn’t.

“Fine,” Liam rolled his eyes, “I did kind of meet someone.”

“Well, are they cute? Who am I kidding, of course they’re cute. What are their pronouns?”

Liam could feel Theo staring at him waiting for him to answer. He was  _ definitely _ not ready for this, but his mom wasn’t going to give him a choice. Try as he might, he couldn’t think of a reason not to tell her.

“He/Him. And yeah, he’s pretty cute.”

Liam could see Theo’s tail wagging out of the corner of his eye. He still hadn’t stopped blushing and with Theo right next to him he probably wouldn’t be able to stop. His mom was way too into the conversation already, she’d put down her fork and closed her container.

“ _ So _ , how did you meet?”

Liam’s wheels spun for a moment as he tried to figure out how to explain things, “I, uh, I was out for a run and it looked like he needed help, so I stopped and gave him a hand.”

“ _ Aww _ , I knew I raised you right.” Jenna laughed, “Well, that explains why this place is so clean.”

As much as Liam hated it, she wasn’t wrong. He probably only would have cleaned up if he had someone coming over. Liam reached down to pet at Theo, but realized he’d left his side to sit by his mom. Now both of them were staring at him.

“Well, it’s obvious you like him.”

“Is it?” Liam saw Theo’s head tilt.

“Sweetheart, you’re beet red.”

He could definitely feel the heat in his cheeks. Theo’s tail started wagging again and Liam could swear there was a glint in his eye. His mom leaned forward, elbows on the table with her hands clasped around her drink. Damn, she was invested now. Liam braced himself for more questions.

“Does he go to your school?”

“No. I don’t think so, anyway.”

“Ok, do you know if he has a job.”

Liam shook his head, “I don’t.”

“Tell me you at least know his name.”

“Of course I do.”

Jenna arched an eyebrow, “ _ So _ ... What is it?”

“Uh...” Liam looked back and forth between Theo and his mom, “Well, it’s Theo.”

“Like your friend’s dog? That is a crazy coincidence.”

Liam half-heartedly laughed with her. He should have made up a name for Theo when she saw him, but then he had kind of made up the name he was already using. This was getting more complicated than he wanted it to be.

“Yeah, kind of weird, right?” Liam scratched at the back of his neck.

Jenna started petting Theo again and he popped up, putting his front feet in her lap. She scritched around his ears and under his chin. This was so weird. He really hoped his mom never found out about Theo being able to turn into a wolf. 

“Alright, I’m gonna go. I’m leaving the leftovers.” She held up a finger before he could say anything, “Don’t try to fight me on it. I’m sure that fridge is basically empty.”

Jenna scooted Theo off her lap and stood up. She put her purse back over her shoulder and grabbed what was left of her drink, leaving the container of food on the table. Liam closed his own container and put it next to hers before standing up with her. She held out her arms and they hugged each other before Liam led her to the door.

“Thanks for dinner. And I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Jenna tapped his nose, “I’m sure you’ll keep me updated.”

“I will.”

“And I’m sure things will go well with your new  _ friend _ .”

“Mom...”

“What, you’re a catch and he should be so lucky.”

Liam rolled his eyes, “Thanks mom.”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting.” Jenna stepped out of the door Liam had opened for her, stopping and turning as she got outside, “Feel free to update me on both.”

“ _ Bye _ , mom.”

“Bye, sweetheart!”

Liam closed and locked the door before letting out a slow sigh. He shut his eyes and spun around, throwing his back against it. He tilted his head up and gently knocked on the door a couple times with the back of his head before opening his eyes.

“She’s nice.” Theo’s voice was really close.

Liam opened his eyes, flustered when he realized a naked Theo was just a couple inches away from him. He tried to slip away and stumbled, but Theo caught him and kept him from face planting on the floor. Liam had only  _ just _ stopped blushing and yet, here he was all flushed cheeks again.

“Could you? Uh...” Liam gestured to Theo’s body and looked away.

“Oh, yeah. Clothes. Sure.”

Theo went into the bathroom for a moment and came back out dressed in the clothes he’d borrowed the night before. Liam had taken a seat at the table again while he waited. He sipped at the strawberry lemonade his mom had gotten him.

“Better?” Theo asked, sitting across from him.

“Yeah, thanks. Sorry.” Liam grabbed his food again and poked at it.

“She really is nice though.” Theo grinned.

“Yeah. That’s my mom.” Liam shrugged.

“Can I try that? It smells really good.” Theo gestured.

“Sure.”

Liam twirled some pasta on the fork and speared a piece of meatball onto it. He handed it to Theo who seemed to really enjoy it. He even looked hot when he ate. It just wasn’t fair.

“Wow, that is really good.”

Liam offered him the container, “You can have the rest if you want.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Liam wasn’t really hungry now anyways.

Theo took the container and smiled as he twirled some pasta onto the fork, “Plus, she was right.”

Liam furrowed his brow, “About?”

“You obviously like me.”

Liam was blushing  _ again _ , “Yeah.”

“Well, I like you too.” Theo popped a meatball into his mouth.

Liam had thought from the kisses and the night time snuggling and the breakfast in bed that might be the case, but Theo hadn’t really said anything. Now it was real. He actually liked him back. Why did he feel more lost now than before he knew that?

* * *

After Theo finished eating, Liam talked a bit more about his family. How his dad had left and his mom met Dr. Geyer at the hospital when Liam had gotten a lacrosse injury and the two hit it off. Liam was starting to realize he didn’t really know anything about Theo’s life. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know. Well, he  _ did _ want to know, but he wasn’t ready for more weirdness just yet.

“Let me put these in the fridge.” Liam grabbed the containers and headed into the kitchen.

“Li, I think your mom left something.”

Liam put the containers away and turned back to the table. Of course she would do that. Probably because he wouldn’t have taken it if she tried to just hand it to him. Liam stomped over to the table and picked up the folded bills. He flipped through them, taking a quick count. One hundred dollars. He begrudgingly shoved the money into this pocket.

“Why do you look upset?” Theo asked.

“It’s complicated.”

“Don’t you need money?”

“Yeah.”

“And now you have some.”

“Yeah.”

“But you’re upset by that?”

“Yep.”

Theo stared at him, “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“I don’t want them to think I can’t handle myself.”

“Li, everyone needs help sometimes.”

Liam tried to think of something to say and came up blank. Theo had needed his help that night in the woods. Liam had needed Theo’s help before his interview. Why is it the more he and Theo talked the more he realized he was making his own life harder than it needed to be?

“I guess.” Liam was feeling grumpy.

Theo stood up and grabbed Liam’s upper arms, “Thanks for your help.”

Liam looked down at the floor, “Thanks for yours.”

The words felt like an admission. Like he had been hiding all this time, but Theo had pulled him out into the open. He actually felt a little better.

Theo’s hands slid down to his waist and pulled him close, “See that wasn’t so hard.”

Liam looked up and Theo’s gorgeous green eyes were searching his face. They stopped on his lips and Liam couldn’t help but stare back at Theo’s. Liam leaned in and kissed him. Theo pulled them together and pushed back into the kiss. If Liam thought he wouldn’t forget the kiss from this morning, now he thought this one would be seared into his brain. He practically melted into Theo. He wanted to kiss him until it hurt, but stopped just shy of that.

“That was nice.” Theo grinned at him.

“Yeah...”

Liam was still a bit dazed from the kiss and wasn’t really sure what to say. He was surprisingly thankful when his phone vibrated giving him a reason to check it rather than try to figure out what to do next. Theo looked down at the screen with him. It was a text from his mom.

_ Home safe. I’ll be waiting for an update on school and Theo. ;) _

“Wanna update her now?” Theo chuckled.

“Huh?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“I know that’s true, but it’s hard to believe at the same time.” Liam bit his lip.

“Is it?” Theo arched an eyebrow.

“Honestly, everything about this has felt like a dream.” And if it was, he never wanted to wake up.

“I understand, but it’s not a dream.” Theo pinched him.

“Ow! Why?!”

“Isn’t that how people prove they aren’t dreaming?”

“I guess.” Liam rubbed his arm.

“You’re going to have to tell her I live here eventually.” Theo looked down at the phone.

“Eventually. My mom’s nice, but I don’t think she’d be happy with me letting someone I just met move in.”

“Just tell her I’m repaying a life debt.”

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s not going to help.”

“My parents were fine with it.” Theo shrugged.

“Well, our families are definitely different then.”

“I’ll trust you on that.”

Theo wandered over towards the bed. He grabbed the book he’d been reading when Liam came home and opened it back up. Liam just shrugged to himself and turned his attention back to the phone.

_ Glad you got home safe. Found the gift. _

_ Make sure to use some of it to take Theo out on a date. ;) _

_ Thanks, mom. _

There was definitely plenty there for groceries. At least what Liam usually lived on. It would be nice to actually be able to go out and he hoped that Theo wouldn’t mind going out of the house with him. If he didn’t hear back from his school soon it could be a great distraction.

He grinned to himself as he pocketed the phone, he really was dating Theo wasn’t he? Liam crossed to the bed, grabbing his own book and dropped down onto it next to Theo. When he started to get tired, Theo encouraged him to lay in his lap.

As he drifted off, he really hoped he’d hear something good about his interview. He was actually kind of excited for school, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Theo had already started to help him with his anger, so he was confident that Theo would actually be able to Tutor him. And if those sessions ended with cuddling like this, then it was all the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I realize I didn't answer the big question. Maybe I will some day. Sorry.


End file.
